Farmer's market in CBD

[Vlaude]

I am looking for info on successful farmer's markets. My ideas are to create a market that would be located in the CBD that would spinoff to surrounding businesses... Any suggestions on websites or books on how to create a successful market. Also example of cities with successful markets would be great, with populations around 17k to 30k...

Thanks, any input is appreciated...

 

[Cardinal]

A great idea and one more people should consider. Public Markets and Community Revitalization, by the Project for Public Places and Urban Land Institute is a good reference. You can get it through the ULI bookstore.

 

[Vlaude]

Thanks,

Does anyone know of example cities in the size I previously mentioned. I am trying to put together some ideas to throw around and would like to find one or two smaller cities that have such markets.

Thanks again...

 

[Louise]

Carrboro, North Carolina has a very vibrant farmers market on Saturday mornings and Wednesday afternoons.

 

[carl]

My hometown of Holyoke, MA has a very successful farmers market on Thursday afternoons. Speaking of Urban Produce Markets that gives me a great idea as a compliment to the local historic district we are planning for the city's first commercial area to be called Depot Square. It includes a Richardson designed R.R. Depot, built by the Norcross Bros. Building is vacant. Any investors out there interested.

 

[David Danenfelzer]

Columbus, Ohio's North Market is one of the better known Farmers Markets that has been researched as a revitalizing factor is a smaller to mid-sized city. They also have a website. The one source I know for sure with some info on this project is "Cities Back from the Edge: New Life for Downtown" a very good book by Roberta Brandes Gratz and Norman Mintz.

One of the key things that I would also recomend is a market study of both the local demand for your farmer's market and they ability of local truck farmers to supply an adequate variety and quantity of produce.

Good Luck,

Dave

 

[P S Shaw]

Florence, South Carolina, has a successful farmer's market called the Pee Dee Farmer's Market. It also has a few permanent businesses, gardening and crafts, that help sustain it.

 

[Planimal]

The Downtown Country Market in Buffalo, New York is very sucessful. It is run by Buffalo Place Inc., the Downtown BID, and while the population is larger that you were asking for, they may still have some good ideas on building a strong market.

 

[Midwest EDC]

Park Forest, IL has had a very successful Farmers' Market for several years. The market has been located in the main shopping center of town, and through a vibrant shopping center to almost completely vacant, to partial demolition and redevelopment into a Downtown, the Farmers' Market has held strong. Park Forest is a town of 25,000.

 

[Planderella]

The Crescent City Farmer's Market is held every Saturday from 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. in New Orleans' CBD. It's success has prompted the organizers to establish similar markets throughout the city on various weekdays. I can't think of the organizers' official name, but I do know that Loyola University (N.O.) is affliated with it.

 

[rgwatts]

A seasonal Sunday farmer's market has been in operation in downtown Bradenton, FL for many years. Previously located in the city hall parking lot, when the new city hall was built at another site it relocated to a revitalized Old Main Street. Market is very popular, particularly w0ith retirees and Winter visitors but likely hasn't had much affect on local businesses as most are closed on Sunday.

City of Bradenton and Downtown Improvement Association can provide additional information.

 

[steel]

As devistated as Detroit is its farmer's market is still very successful. I think it is called the Eastern Market but I am not sure. It is very old and has its own permanent pavillion buildings.

 

[Chet]

Try contacting the downtown Business Improvement District for Hartford, Wisconsin. population, about 11,000. They have one.

There is a phone number on their horribly unfinished website

I'm sure they can patch you through to the current BID Manager

 

[Lee Nellis]

Two great downtown farmer's markets: Burlington, VT and Oakland, CA, at Jack London Square.

 

[mgk920]

Try contacting the downtown Business Improvement District for Hartford, Wisconsin. population, about 11,000. They have one.

There is a phone number on their horribly unfinished website

I'm sure they can patch you through to the current BID Manager

Ditto Appleton, WI

Mike

 

[Chet]

Moderator note:

HOLY CAMOLIE BATMAN! I just realized this a a thread from the dust bin, over 3 years old. Dan - You still need that info?

 

[Rem]

One of the best markets of this type in Australia is Melbourne's Queen Victoria Market. It remains close to the City core and is supplemented by a flea market and delicatessans. It's a must visit for any tourist. I have some pics and will try to post on Monday.

Sydney on the other hand has retained only a shadow of its former glorious market near the city centre. The Haymarket area near the city centre has been left behind by a modern produce market at Flemington (near the Homebush Olympic site), designed to accommodate the bulk volumes, low overhead cost structures of modern supermarkets. It is still accessible to the general public at specified times but has lost a lot of charm and access nearly certainly has to be by car.

 

[vaughan]

Laramie, Wyoming started a farmer's market about a year and a half ago that is a huge success... kinda funny though, because all the farmers drive from up to 200 miles away to attend... can't really have a local farmer's market in the high plains. Its gone over great, though.

 

[PlannerByDay]

City of Kalamazoo has a very successful Farmers Market. It is held just outside the CBD in one of the older neighborhoods. The Market is open on Wed. and Sat. They have something like 40 stalls and they are all filled and there is even a waiting list of farmers who want in.

I have some more info at the office. I post it shortly.

 

[ablarc]

http://www.bostonpublicmarket.org/

 

[Infiller]

One of the best downtown farmers' markets I've seen for a town in that size range is in Beloit, Wisconsin.

 

[DetroitPlanner]

I concur on Detroit's market. A prior poster is correct, it is the Eastern Market. Its been operating for lliterally hundreds of years and typically draws 25,000 people on Saturdays. There are several sheds, a shopping arcade known as Gratiot Central, as well as dozens of full-time stores that surround them. These include everythng from Halal butchers to bars. Store specialites include poultry (live chickens anyone?), spices, candy and nuts, bakeries, cheese, baskets, produce, meats and restraunts.

This area is within walking distance of many of the CBD's other attractions (Greektown, casino, Ford Field (go Lions Super Bowl 2006), Comerica Park (go Tigers All Star Game 2005), and the Lafayette Park Neighborhood (Mies van Der Rohe designed townhomes around landscaped squares).

The sheds and parking structures are owned by the City. There is an organization of merchants who have a Website: http://www.easternmarket.org/page.cfm/1/

Any trip to Detroit should include a Saturday morning here.

 

[dbarch]

http://www.sweetauburncurbmarket.com/

A mix of businesses selling food (both raw materials and cooked food) as well as a few other fledgling businesses.

 

[plankton]

Astoria, Oregon (pop. 10,000) started a Farmers Market a few years back and it continues to grow and grow (pun intended). It is a real gem.

www.astoriasundaymarket.org/

 

[luckless pedestrian]

I know this is a revival of an old thread -

Bar Harbor has one just on the edge of the core business district held on Sundays in the YMCA parking lot (while the Y is closed so it's a great shared use) and a new one started up in a parking lot off the Village Green for Wednesdays.

The one that just started up was started, pardon the pun, organically, by the farmer's themselves to expand their market - so yeah, I continue to be spoiled that markets create themselves here

the one that just started up, however, is a little more of a feisty bunch - so this is my question to pose -

farmer's markets are allowed by right, that is, they only need a building permit; however their shared parking agreements are approved administratively by the Planning Board (no public hearing, no long wait for permits) - this irritates the farmer's to no end because they feel it is un-supportive to their needs :-o

what's happening with this group now is they are meeting this afternoon with our Parks and Recreation Committee to try to change the policy (and thus the Code) restricting the use of the Village Green and allowing the farmer's market to locate on the Green

Now, if anyone has been to Bar Harbor, you know the Village Green - it's a Victorian-like park with the Italian fountain (donated by a wealthy family, imported from Italy, so it's not fake, it's priceless actually) - we do allow twice a year, an "art in the park" show and every Sunday, there is a very quiet (in silence actually) peace rally (which really comes under the rights to assembly) - so, I have heard rumblings of a NFW for the organic farmers plunking themselves down on the Green - I know DPW isn't thrilled because it is a pretty big mess to clean up and the grass and plantings are pretty delicate

the pending comp plan has language lending support to famer's and their practices but is this going too far?

people are still upset that the Island Explorer buses line one and a half blocks of the park, just to let you know general public sentiment has been that this is a pristine little place for Sunday band concerts in the summer and general gathering

 

[wahday]

Check out info on the Santa Fe Farmers Market: http://www.santafefarmersmarket.com/

Santa Fe is more like 70k these days, but still, its a great model. In addition to having a variety of great activities from arts and crafts, music and, of course, fresh veggies, they do a lot of education and outreach. The president (though he may not be anymore, I have not spoken with him in a while) Don Bustos also runs Santa Cruz farms where he blends traditional Spanish New Mexican farming strategies (acequia flood irrigation) with more contemporary approaches (using greenhouses directly on the ground to reduce transpiration, for example). The project is also connected with the American Friends Service Committee (a Quaker group, for those of you not in the know). This educational element (including tours of the farm and educational workshops) are linked to the farmer's market which also serves to disseminate technical information among farmers. The market also works to help farmers find niche markets by, for example, connecting growers of salad greens with local restaurants. It is located at the old Santa Fe Railyard which also includes a cultural museum and a number of art spaces.

Santa Cruz Farms:
http://www.afsc-pswro.org/santacruzfarms/

Santa Fe Railyards:
http://www.sfrailyardcc.org/Tenants.cfm

 

[keninottawa]

I, too, am bumping up an old thread, but I thought it worth mentioning Ottawa's ByWard Market, which was historically the centre of the city's commerce and was revitalized in the 1970s and 1980s after years of neglect. Today it is home to a nearly year-round farmers' market (something remarkable, especially considering the city's climate), an attraction that has spawned permanent spin-off businesses specializing in niche areas of food retailing. In turn, the ByWard Market neighbourhood has become the most bustling and vibrant area of the city.

http://www.byward-market.com/